Telecom
Mastercard, Network International Partner to Expand Commercial Payment Solutions across Middle East & Africa

Mastercard, a technology leader in the global payments industry, and its strategic partner Network International, the leading enabler of digital commerce across the Middle East & Africa (MEA), have announced a collaboration to drive the adoption of commercial payments and solutions across the region.
The collaboration will see the launch of the Commercial Payment Platform in Q4 2020.
The platform will offer business and corporate cards, travel cards, fleet cards and procurement cards among other corporate payment solutions to help businesses of all sizes across many sectors make the move to cashless and paperless payments.
Mastercard’s suite of payment solutions will enable businesses to save time, reduce costs and simplify the way they manage their business expenses.
Corporate clients will further be able to benefit from Mastercard’s In Control for Commercial Payments, an innovative platform that helps improve the user experience through the creation of an end-to-end virtual payment ecosystem.
Annual commercial spend in the Middle East and Africa tallies at more than US$4 trillion[1], but only 1% is currently done through payment cards.
As commercial cards become more popular in the region, corporate clients are recognizing the benefits of card products that offer business benefits such as enhanced cashflow, more visibility, spend control, reduced reconciliation efforts, and a free credit period.
Business are increasingly turning to digital and remote payments, a shift that has been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The platform will offer advanced new technologies so businesses can move from cash-based payments to an improved, frictionless and seamless ecosystem utilizing the innovative capabilities of both Mastercard and Network International.
“We are delighted to strengthen our partnership with Network International as we strive to deliver innovative payment solutions that drive socio-economic growth across the Middle East and Africa.
“Mastercard and Network International share a commitment to advance opportunities and unlock the region’s immense economic potential by using technology to pave the way for a streamlined, efficient and more inclusive future,” said Raghu Malhotra, President, Middle East and Africa, Mastercard.
“Our partnership with Mastercard enables us to create a consolidated framework to address some of the challenges and unlock opportunities for issuers, banks and fintechs in the region.
“We have been accelerating and enhancing our services and innovative solutions to help large and small business, government and merchants to improve their financial well-being,” said Simon Haslam, Group Chief Executive Officer, Network International.
The companies have a long-standing partnership, bringing together Mastercard’s global expertise and technology and Network International’s renowned capabilities through platforms that have a strong focus on security and innovation.
In 2019, Mastercard made a strategic investment as a cornerstone investor in Network International, followed by an additional commitment of $35 million over a five-year period towards developing innovative payment solutions for consumers to accelerate the adoption of cashless payments in the region and propel a world beyond cash.
Telecom
SHELT Named in Prestigious 2025 MSSP 250 List for Cybersecurity Excellence

SHELT, a leading cybersecurity-as-a-service provider, has earned inclusion in the 2025 MSSP 250, the annual ranking of the world’s top 250 Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) by MSSP Alert, a CyberRisk Alliance publication.

SHELT
The list evaluates firms on business performance, service breadth, and industry impact, spotlighting those excelling in growth, operational excellence, and advanced managed security amid rising cyber threats. Selection criteria include annual recurring revenue, profitability, workforce expansion, business growth, and the depth of managed security offerings.
SHELT’s recognition underscores its investments in scalable security operations, threat intelligence, and tailored managed services across multiple regions, enabling clients to navigate complex risk landscapes effectively.
“Being recognised in the MSSP 250 is a meaningful milestone for our team,” stated Youssef Abillama, CEO of SHELT. “It validates our focus on building practical, resilient security services that help organisations manage risk and respond effectively to today’s evolving cyber threats.”
The company hailed the honour as testament to its teams’ dedication and expertise worldwide, reaffirming commitment to enhancing capabilities and delivering trusted cybersecurity solutions.
Telecom
Meta Names Ex-Trump Adviser Dina Powell McCormick as President

Meta Platforms, owner of Facebook, has appointed Dina Powell McCormick, a former adviser to President Donald Trump, as its new president and vice chairman, bolstering its leadership amid aggressive AI and infrastructure expansion.

Dina Powell McCormick
The announcement, made on Monday, positions Powell McCormick – who recently stepped down from Meta’s board after eight months – to guide overall strategy, including multi-billion-dollar investments in data centres and global partnerships.
A Goldman Sachs veteran with 16 years in senior roles and prior stints as deputy national security adviser under Trump and in the Bush administration, she brings deep finance and international ties to the role.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg hailed her as “uniquely qualified” for the company’s next growth phase, while President Trump praised the move on Truth Social as a “fantastic choice”.
The hire signals Meta’s efforts to strengthen White House relations, following recent dinners with Trump and U.S. investment pledges worth hundreds of billions
Telecom
X Suspends Twitter Account for Rules Violation

X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, has suspended the @Twitter account, replacing its profile with a standard notice citing violation of platform rules.

Musk
The action, which occurred on Sunday, January 11, left users encountering the handle greeted by a bold “Account Suspended” message on a black screen, with no details provided on the specific rules broken or the duration of the suspension.
The development has sparked widespread confusion and nostalgia among users, given that Elon Musk rebranded Twitter to X in July 2023, approximately six months after acquiring the platform for $44 billion in late 2022.
The @Twitter handle had remained dormant since before Musk’s takeover, serving as a legacy remnant of the platform’s original branding, and its suspension appears to mark the final erasure of the Twitter name amid X’s ongoing efforts to combat spam, impersonation, and rule violations.
X’s official statement on the suspended page simply reads: “X suspends accounts that violate our rules,” without offering an appeal process or further explanation, unlike standard user suspensions.
Public reactions on social media ranged from humorous laments of “RIP Twitter” to speculation that the move resulted from automated moderation or a deliberate cleanup of legacy trademarks.
xAI’s Grok AI described it as a purposeful retirement of outdated elements rather than a genuine infraction, while neither Elon Musk nor X spokespeople issued any comment as of Monday morning.
This incident underscores the evolving identity of the platform under Musk’s ownership, which also saw a domain shift to x.com in 2024, further distancing it from its Twitter roots.
Industry observers note that while the suspension aligns with X’s stricter enforcement policies, the lack of transparency has fueled debates on consistency in applying rules to high-profile legacy accounts.
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